GAHANNA, Ohio —A drop in crime in the city of Gahanna is being credited to the presence of a dog park.

Since opening a little more than a year ago, Gahanna police said the number of people loitering in Pizzuro Park has dropped significantly.

Once popular with loiterers, Pizzouro Park has cleaned up its act. Gahanna Deputy Chief Ken Bell said that volunteers who use the park have been instrumental at cutting down suspicious activity, reducing the need for officers to patrol the area regularly.